If you need a SatNav you are probably thinking TomTom, and they have a GO 500 that will probably be just what you need, and we got our hands on for a review.

Specifications

What’s in the Box?

The box contains the GO 500, a windscreen mount, a USB cable and car charger and paperwork.

A Closer Look

Using the TomTom GO 500

The first thing you need to do is charge up the 500, which you can easily do either in your car or from a computer – all the cables and connectors you need are provided. Once you have registered the 500 and you are ready to use it, place the mount against the windscreen and twist to lock it into place. Then you just slot the 500 into the windscreen mount, which is very secure, then you just have to position the 500 into a comfortable viewing angle. To remove the 500 you just lift it out – although for security reasons you may want to not leave the mount on the windscreen!

Final Thoughts

Out the box the TomTom GO 500 is about the size of a smartphone and is fairly lightweight. It is easy to setup and configure and you will be using it in no time at all.

The TomTom GO 500 also comes with both lifetime maps and lifetime traffic. The maps part alone will save you a significant amount of money over the life of the device. You can have four updates a year to the maps so I would highly recommend updating each time so you are on the latest maps. Traffic is a really useful addition – the number of times my route was diverted because of traffic problems and I didn’t need to do anything, was greatly appreciated! You also get 3 months worth of speed camera locations, so it’s up to you if you want to continue with that feature or not.

Unlike some other satnav’s, the GO 500 has an interactive map which makes it very easy to make changes and selections by just tapping somewhere on the screen. For example, if you are looking at the map and you decide you want to go to a different location show, just long-press the location and choose to add to your current route. It’s as simple as that! And because the screen has a beautiful 5 inch display, it is very clear and easy to use, which is obviously something you want on a satnav.

And talking of maps, the cities on the maps are in 3D. Now this isn’t exactly a new feature for satnavs, but the GO 500 tries to make the landmarks and locations as easy to spot as possible, and thus help you drive around those locations, and it does it very well, for example, around those locations, the roads are shown a little wider on the screen to help navigation. It may not seem like much, but it makes a lot of difference.

There is also a route bar displayed on the screen which is an aid to seeing what is coming up on the route, so for example if there were a problem later on your route, it would be displayed so that it gives you a chance to look at alternative options. This is a very useful feature as well and you will wonder how you ever drove without it!

Adding in a location is very simple as well – just start typing a location and the GO 500 starts making suggestions that could help.

All in all, I was very impressed with the TomTom GO 500 and highly recommend it as a useful addition to any car.

The TomTom GO 500 retails for around £179 but as usual look for a good deal before purchasing. And keep an eye on CDW as we will be giving this one away soon.

Sony has released a new update for Soul Sacrifice in preparation for the new and free DLC which will arrive today.

The new DLC brings with it new quests, new bosses, a new map and even new social media features.

In order to gain access to this content you’ll need to update your game via your PS Vita and then head over to the PS Store to download the content.

Players will need to update the game from LiveArea and then visit the PlayStation Store to download unlock keys for the new content, which is detailed in full below (via the PS Blog).
Here’s what’s new:

New quests:

Eight new quests will be added upon using the unlock key. To play the quests, go to Mad Chronicle > Inside Avalon > Avalon Pacts > Forgotten Pact > Hour of Amber (game progress required). In these new quests, you will see two new boss characters called Dullahan and Behemoth and a new map called Caverns of Goliath.

About Dullahan: There was once a knight whose name was known the world over… But it was not his abilities that had made him famous. Indeed, he was viewed with curiosity, not respect. Many thought him downright unsettling; it was the way in which he did battle. While most warriors took pleasure in striking their enemies and avoiding their blows, this knight was the exact opposite. Apparently he would howl with joy whenever struck, and his face would twist with satisfaction…

About Behemoth: In a quiet town, a young boy lived together with his parents. He had always had a big appetite, even since he was an infant. Above all, apples were his favourite. Any day he had an apple at hand was a happy day to him. And his parents, knowing this, had an easy time raising him. Though they spoiled him in his infancy, there came a day when even his parents refused his demands for apples. The tantrum he threw was frightening. By that point, he was massively obese, easily weighing as much as three grown men. To say the thrashings of a boy that size were beyond his parents’ handling is an understatement…

New map: Caverns of Goliath: You’re basically inside the body of a soldier who turned into a giant. The digestive fluid is always being secreted, so you constantly lose your HP just being there. The battle against Dullahan there will be quite challenging!

New Black Rite: Berserker: Download the free unlock key from PlayStation Store to add Berserker as your new Black Rite. Offer your brain to unleash its potential. The price for using this Black Rite will be to have redacted info on equipped Offerings. So you will not be able to see what Offerings you’ve set on each button.

Posting to Twitter and Facebook: You can post your play information – such as the number of sacrifices/saves, or the status of your right arm – to Twitter/Facebook once a day. You will gain lacrima by sharing your stats with your friends!

Discovery Pact (AR cards required): Use AR cards to summon your character and collect numerous “memories.” These memories are revealed using Mind’s Eye, and can be collected simply by touching them. After one memory has been collected, others become harder to find for a time. Memories can be exchanged for lacrima once collected. I recommend doing this mini-game if you use Black Rites often in the game to undo the price!

Are you thinking of getting Microsoft newest OS Windows 8, but don’t know what Bing Apps do, well look at the video below recorded at the Gadget Show Live at the NEC in Birmingham UK. I do apologies for the sound quality but I had a Demo Theatre right behind me at the time so I had to edit the sound the best I could do. If you looking for how to use Bing apps for News, Weather, Maps, Travel and more then look at the video below.

Today, Ubisoft announced the release of a new patch for Far Cry 3, introducing a number of new features requested by players on both single player and multiplayer modes. The patch is now live for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows PC.

Based on community feedback gathered by the Far Cry 3 team, the features added or tweaked by this patch are an on-going effort to respond to players and give them more reasons to re-visit Rook Islands, to improve their skills with tougher challenges, and to re-discover the Far Cry 3 world. These new elements include:

SINGLE PLAYER:

– Outposts reset: after the end of the game, players can choose to reset the liberated outposts to face the challenge to take them over again

– A new difficulty setting: Players who have completed the campaign can restart the adventure on MASTER difficulty, with more challenging enemies and dangerous wildlife

MULTIPLAYER:

Map Beta Test: Map makers can now start a beta test to monitor how their map is being played using the new spectate feature and regular players are enabled to provide better feedback to help map makers improve their projects.

– Maps by author: Players will be able to show all the maps created by an author

– Idle kick: The feature that kicks out idle players during a MP match is removed from custom and private matches

– The Skip map voting system has been improved with more visibility and time to cast the vote

– A new mini-game called The Grid has been added to the Outpost website and smartphone apps.

Google have just updated their Google Maps app, taking it to version 1.1.

Navigate your world with Google Maps, now available for iPhone. Get comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps with built-in Google local search, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation, public transport directions, Street View and more. Use Google Maps to discover great places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and reviews from people you trust. Sign in to save your favourite places and quickly access all your past searches and directions from your computer, right on your phone.

Search
* Find addresses, places and businesses around the world with Google local search.
* Discover places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and local reviews.
* Sign in to sync your searches, directions and favourite places between your computer and your phone.

Directions
* Get voice guided, turn-by-turn driving directions.
* Find your way with train, bus, underground or walking directions.
* Access live traffic information in cities across the world.
Street View and imagery
* View 360-degree panoramas of places around the globe with Street View.
* See inside more than 100,000 businesses worldwide.
* View high-resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.

Simple and easy to use* An entirely new Google Maps experience on your iPhone.
* Newly designed and streamlined interface for even easier navigation of your world.
* Use gestures to explore the map and browse results.

What’s New in Version 1.1

* Search your Google Contacts; sign in to see your saved addresses when you search for friends and family by name.
* Search for local places quickly by selecting popular categories such as restaurants, pubs, cafés, petrol stations, etc.
* Choose between kilometres or miles for your preferred distance units.
* Note that some features may not be available in all countries.

After a few months of having no Google Maps on the iPhone, Google have finally released a standalone Google Maps app, and you can get it now from the Apple App Store.

Navigate your world with Google Maps, now available for iPhone. Get comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-use maps with built-in Google local search, voice guided turn-by-turn navigation, public transport directions, Street View and more. Use Google Maps to discover great places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and reviews from people you trust. Sign in to save your favourite places and quickly access all your past searches and directions from your computer, right on your phone.

Search
* Find addresses, places and businesses around the world with Google local search.
* Discover places to eat, drink, shop and play, with ratings and local reviews.
* Sign in to sync your searches, directions and favourite places between your computer and your phone.

Directions
* Get voice guided, turn-by-turn driving directions.
* Find your way with train, bus, underground or walking directions.
* Access live traffic information in cities across the world.
Street View and imagery
* View 360-degree panoramas of places around the globe with Street View.
* See inside more than 100,000 businesses worldwide.
* View high-resolution satellite imagery of locations around the world.

Simple and easy to use* An entirely new Google Maps experience on your iPhone.
* Newly designed and streamlined interface for even easier navigation of your world.
* Use gestures to explore the map and browse results.

The new HERE Maps app from Nokia is now available in the iTunes store.

HERE Maps helps you feel like a local anywhere you go. See where you are, search and discover nearby places, and get a feel for the place. Collect places to remember or for later discovery. Explore new destinations and know instantly how to get there on foot, by car or on public transport. HERE Maps is based on the world-class NAVTEQ mapping data used in 90% of in-car navigation systems in the world.

Features:

• Map views – Pick the map you need from map view, live traffic view, public transport line view or satellite view
• Save map areas & wander without data coverage
• In selected countries, access community maps created and updated by users
• Maps, search and place coverage for nearly 200 countries
• Search with history and suggestions
• Share places with just a tap, including the location and how to get there, over SMS, email, or social networks
• Organize places you love into Collections
• Sign in to HERE Maps with your Nokia Account or Facebook login
• Sync with Here.net – Access your Collections anywhere
• Step-by-Step voice-guided walk navigation
• Walk navigation through pedestrian routes, parks, alleyways, and more
• Public transportation and driving directions

[button link=”https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/here-maps/id577430143?mt=8″ style=”download”]Download for free from the Apple App Store[/button]

Google Earth for Android has been updated to version 7.0.0.7386 and with that comes 3D imagery.

Explore the world from the palm of your hand with Google Earth.

Use Google Earth to fly around the planet with the swipe of a finger. Explore distant lands or reacquaint yourself with your childhood home. Search by voice for cities, places, and businesses. Browse layers including roads, borders, places, photos and more.

For tablet users (Android 3.0 or newer), you can now enjoy a new Google Earth experience optimized for the large screen. With a new action bar, you can get easy access to search, reset-to-north, my location, and layers. Also, on tablets and select phones, you can now explore the same photo-realistic 3D buildings that have previously only been accessible with the desktop version of Google Earth. Visit the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Taj Mahal in India, or the Sydney Opera House in Australia, all in their full 3D glory! To view 3D buildings, just select “3D Buildings” from the layer menu.

You can easily navigate with your fingers, using:
* a one finger swipe to move the globe
* a two-finger pinch and rotate to zoom in and out and rotate your viewpoint
* two-fingers swiped together to tilt your view
* a one single finger double-tap to zoom in and
* a two-finger double-tap to zoom out

What’s new in Version 7.0:

* Tour guide: Explore places you never thought to search for with new tours of your favorite cities, historic landmarks and natural wonders.

* 3D imagery: Take flight above entire cities in 3D. Get started with Los Angeles, Boston, San Francisco, Geneva or Rome and look for new additions in the coming weeks. Available for devices with dual-core processors.

TomTom yesterday releases its Summer map. This latest map update includes road changes and Points of Interest (POI) related to major events across Europe this Summer.

New stadiums, temporary and permanent event venues and park & rides across the UK, Poland and the Ukraine are included. Surrounding areas have been checked and surveyed to ensure complete mapping accuracy around important events.

In total, 1.5 million km of new roads have been added to TomTom’s global map between May 2011 and May 2012. Major map changes include adding 107,000 km of new road networks in Brazil, and updating 12,000 km of motorways in Spain. Maps have been extended to cover greater areas of Mexico, Malaysia and Indonesia. Southern Africa maps now include more unpaved roads in rural areas for better routing and more accurate estimatedtimes of arrival.

“At TomTom, we know how important it is for the maps we provide to our customers to be as accurate as possible and include the latest road network updates,” says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director of TomTom. “Roads are always changing and this Summer is no exception. TomTom’s latest map update will give the best routes and most accurate directions wherever you are driving.”

TomTom Summer maps are available on all new TomTom devices through the latest map guarantee, or to existing customers through Map Update Service.

[button link=”http://www.tomtom.com/en_gb/maps/”]Learn more from the TomTom website[/button]

[button link=”http://connecteddigitalworld.com/2010/08/07/review-of-the-tomtom-app-for-the-iphone/”]Check out our review of the TomTom app for the iPhone[/button]

The latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 multiplayer maps are available – these are called Erosion and Aground.

From January through to September, Call of Duty Elite premium members on Xbox LIVE will receive regular updates of all new content totalling at least 20 content drops. These two new maps are actually free to everyone.

Erosion: Make your way through Mediterranean ruins and ancient aqueducts, using leftover Roman masonry for thousand-year-old cover in this new “Face Off” map.

Aground: Head to Scotland’s Orkney Islands for the latest “Face Off” map, where treacherous cliff faces, networks of caves and the rusted and ruined remains of a grounded transport ship provide for constant combat.